Merry Christmas!

Still in these first days of this new year we hear the words, Merry Christmas as the church celebrates the season of Christmas through January 6th when the feast of Epiphany arrives, and the Magi arrive at the manger. It is an awfully full schedule, from the travel arrangements to Bethlehem to lost hotel reservations and a stay in a manger to a birthing room without medical insurance or assistance to early visitors smelling of sheep.

Finally, just as we expect Mary and Joseph to take some time to rest from their journey—the Magi knock on the door. “More visitors,” shouts Joseph. Mary pulls herself together one more time and pastes on a plastic smile to greet the visitors from the East. The Magi come bearing gifts, but more importantly, they arrive with stories of a star in the sky that appears around the time of the birth of Mary’s son. A star that shines brighter than the rest and calls the Magi to follow. It is the same star that calls us to follow. Once again, we have followed the star to the manger. Once again, we pray for the hope of God to overwhelm us.

Epiphany is the season of light. And after 2025, I am in desperate need for the light of God’s promise to continue to call us and the rest of the world—first, to the manger and then to go into the world to tell the story of God’s love and promise.

As I reflected on missing Christmas Eve worship this year, I found myself wandering through the pictures of events that carried us through the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas. (See some pictures below.) What I saw, in each picture, was the light of God’s love shining in candle flame and face telling the story of defiant hope in the midst of the darkness. So, for this first newsletter article of the new year, I am sharing some of the highlights of Advent – the season that calls us to the light – that in Epiphany, we might feel the light shining upon us.

May God bless you richly in these early days of Epiphany!

See you in Church

Pastor Chris